India, Feb. 27 -- Hours before it was to hit the screens, Hindi film The Kerala Story 2 faced a setback when the Kerala High Court stayed its release for 15 days on Thursday. The film, which has been mired in controversies over its depiction of forced conversions in the state, has now appealed against the stay, but its fate remains uncertain. On Thursday night, the High Court agreed to hear the producers ' appeal against the stay, raising some hope that the film may be released in time.

Complicating matters are online ticketing platforms and cinema chains, which are either ambiguous or confused over the stay on release. While major cinema chains like PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis do not show any The Kerala Story 2 shows on online ticketing pl...